al. Thou can'st be in the
court. Ef the jury foind him innocent, of course thou will't hold thy
tongue; ef they foind him guilty, then thou'lt get up in the court, and
thou'lt say to the joodge, civil loike:

"Moi lord, the gentlemen of the jury have made a mistake; oi am the
chap as killed Foxey and oi ha' got a young man here as a witness as moi
words is true."

"Perhaps that will be the best way, Bill," Luke said thoughtfully. "Oi
ha' bin thinking how we moight get over Polly's evidence agin me; every
noight oi will get up regular and coom and ha' a talk wi' you; oi will
coom out wi'out my shoes as quiet as a cat, and then if Polly sweers
as oi didn't leave t' house that noight thou can'st sweer as she knows
nothing at all aboot it, as oi ha' been out every noight to see thee."

So the matter was allowed to stand for the time; and Bill and Luke, when
they had had their breakfast, went down again to Marsden to hear what
was going on. Marsden was greatly excited. The sensation caused by the
news of the murder scarcely exceeded that which was aroused when it was
heard that Ned Sankey had come in and given himself up. Some thought
that at the examination which was to take place at noon he would at once
confess his guilt, while others believed that he would plead not guilty,
and would throw the burden of proving that he killed his stepfather upon
the prosecution.

All through the previous day Mrs. Mulready had been the central object
of interest to the town gossips pending the capture of her son. Dr.
Green had been in and out of the house all day. It was known that she
had passed from one fit of hysterics into another, and that the doctor
was seriously alarmed about her state. Rumors were about that the
servants, having been interviewed at the back gate, said, that in the
intervals of her screaming and wild laughter she over and over again
accused Ned as the murderer of her husband. Dr. Green, when questioned,
peremptorily refused to give any information whatever as to his
patient's opinions or words.

"The woman is well nigh a fool at the best of times," he said irritably,
"and at present she knows no more what she is saying than a baby. Her
mind is thrown completely off any little balance that it had and she is
to all intents and purposes a lunatic."

Only with his friend Mr. Porson, who called upon him after the first
visit had been paid to Mrs. Mulready immediately after her husband's
body had been brought in,